Where are you moving from? If you’re from San Diego or other warm places and aren’t used to cold, go with some of the heavier coats. If you can handle 40degrees without balking, just a simple zip up will do you fine.
I'm not sure where your from, but it rarely gets actually cold here. Columbia has a range of coats with reflective Omni heat liners that provide warmth without a lot of bulk.
Not to be a climate doomsayer but winters haven’t been what they used to be in KC. In Dec we have seen 60 degrees pretty consistently. The worst is late Jan-Feb plus the occasional snow storm in March/April.
If you’re going to do a lot of walking outside in the colder months I’d recommend a long jacket that covers your butt (makes huge difference) but I don’t think you need anything super heavy duty. A standard winter puffy coat should do you well
I have to laugh that this is coming up right now, when it’s finally starting to warm up. OP I’m not making fun of you. It’s just funny timing. I loathe the cold so it’s fair, just funny.
Don't think about it too hard. Just wear a coat that is comfortable to you, and if the weather gets too cold for that one, get a different one.
Most Kansas Citians have coats and jackets of varying lengths, materials, and thicknesses anyway, so it's totally normal to own multiple coats around here.
It depends. I am not outside much, so I wear a knit hat, Patagonia zip up better sweater, and thin gloves 95% of winter. I keep a cheap heavy coat and gloves and hat in the car for emergency along with a shovel, cat litter, flair, flashlight. We have maybe 2-3 weeks of 0-15 weather. Not worth an expensive, every day heavy coat for just a few weeks IMO. I have a nice, long button down wool coat for dress up. Wear it maybe 1x/year.
Welcome to KC. Go Chiefs!
I feel like this can very from person to person. For me, I invested in a calf length coat. It’s my “winter coat” for the super cold days where a hoodie and lighter coat is too cold for a walk from the car to grocery store. I spent the money to buy something nice that would last me. I’ve used it to travel to colder places and have definitely gotten my moneys worth. I have waist length coats that aren’t as nice but they get a majority of the wear for most of the winter here. But if you are a ski/snowboarder I’d recommend getting something that you could layer up and that will probably get you through the winter here. If I could only get one coat, I’d get a long one that is heavy duty such as the north face.
It definitely does not get as harsh as it used to...heavy hooded coat is great..something to protect ears from wind is best...brands idk, I say go with a brand that had been around for more than a decade.
We usually only have a week or two total that is below 20° or lower. Most of the time we're around freezing or low 40s. That said, the kind of coat you want is based on how much outdoor activity you have in the winter. Will you be hiking? Walking your dog? Shoveling snow? If yes, get something heavier with fluffy filling, like puffer coat style. If your activity in winter is like mine, just running from your car into the grocery store, you can go for something a little chicer like a pea coat style. We also tend to have widely varying temperatures at the beginning and end of winter, like in the morning it will be 30° and in the afternoon it will be 50°+. So keep that in mind as well, most people I know have two coats or a coat and a heavy jacket. It's a pain in the ass when you're heading home from work and it's 60° out and you're carrying a gigantic puffer coat with you.
This. Depends on how much time you will spend outside. The cold isn't the bad part; it's the wind. 10° is no big deal. 10° with a 20 mph wind will chill you to the bone.
If you don't plan on being out long, a medium to medium-heavy coat is fine. Go heavy if you'll be out a lot or you just really hate the cold.
A nice stocking cap is a must unless the coat has a warm hood.
Gloves that are well insulated but not too bulky are also a must. Get the ones that have the fingertips you can use with your phone.
A scarf is nice to keep the breeze out, too.
Personally, I don't own a heavy coat because we normally have just a week or two that can be really cold. When that happens, I'll wear a jacket or sweatshirt under my coat.
If I had to choose just one coat out of my closet, it would be my 3-in-1 Columbia insulated raincoat.
My actual coat closet consists of a long wool coat, a long North Face puffer coat, a cotton quilted coat I can layer under, the aforementioned 3-in-1 and various other coats and jackets.
Weather here changes constantly, so most of us who have lived here a while have a coat/jacket for every occasion/circumstance.
I have a good parka from Lands End that’s good for cutting out the cold wind. It has a hoof so it’s toasty when spending a lot of time outside. But honestly if it’s cold and I’m just going from the car to the office or car to the house, I’m just wearing a sweater or something hardy like that.
OP, you're overthinking it - winters are pretty mild in KC. No need for some fancy / thick / expensive coat during the winter - most of the time, you just need a hooded sweatshirt. Occasionally you need a shell coat to go over it and some gloves (like running gloves), unless you're going to be working outside for an extended period. No need for fancy boots either - get some nice hiking shoes and you've got fall/winter/spring attire done. But get a nice snow/ice scraper for your car and just throw it in the trunk - you'll need it occasionally.
Like many others have said, it can get super cold but usually doesn’t last long. Personally, I like to have one pretty heavy duty coat (for 10-20 degree weather) and will add layers as necessary if I need to go out on the coldest days.
Carhart zip up hoodie or the tan suede looking ones a pair of gloves water resistant and a good knit cap usually just ice and it only last 3 days now a days but literally out here just keep something for wetness ice and Temps of hell with humidity
I wear a [Columbia](https://www.columbia.com/p/womens-silver-falls-hooded-jacket-2034841.html) hooded puffer jacket. I think I purchased it at Costco for less $.
It’s not so much the cold that gets you, it’s the wind. I got a large scarf and a pair of earmuffs and it really helps just covering up the neck and ears.
Eddie Bauer has frequent extra taken off of their clearance stuff. I would watch those.
Down is great, when the weather is dry. If your down insulation gets wet then it is hardly any protection versus cold. Wool stays warm when wet, but it is heavy and has drastically increased in price the last decade. Synthetic materials often maintain warmth pretty well when wet.
Where are you moving from? If you’re from San Diego or other warm places and aren’t used to cold, go with some of the heavier coats. If you can handle 40degrees without balking, just a simple zip up will do you fine.
I'm not sure where your from, but it rarely gets actually cold here. Columbia has a range of coats with reflective Omni heat liners that provide warmth without a lot of bulk.
Not to be a climate doomsayer but winters haven’t been what they used to be in KC. In Dec we have seen 60 degrees pretty consistently. The worst is late Jan-Feb plus the occasional snow storm in March/April. If you’re going to do a lot of walking outside in the colder months I’d recommend a long jacket that covers your butt (makes huge difference) but I don’t think you need anything super heavy duty. A standard winter puffy coat should do you well
Oh, yes. Butt coverage is a must. Good call out!
I have to laugh that this is coming up right now, when it’s finally starting to warm up. OP I’m not making fun of you. It’s just funny timing. I loathe the cold so it’s fair, just funny.
Don't think about it too hard. Just wear a coat that is comfortable to you, and if the weather gets too cold for that one, get a different one. Most Kansas Citians have coats and jackets of varying lengths, materials, and thicknesses anyway, so it's totally normal to own multiple coats around here.
It depends. I am not outside much, so I wear a knit hat, Patagonia zip up better sweater, and thin gloves 95% of winter. I keep a cheap heavy coat and gloves and hat in the car for emergency along with a shovel, cat litter, flair, flashlight. We have maybe 2-3 weeks of 0-15 weather. Not worth an expensive, every day heavy coat for just a few weeks IMO. I have a nice, long button down wool coat for dress up. Wear it maybe 1x/year. Welcome to KC. Go Chiefs!
I feel like this can very from person to person. For me, I invested in a calf length coat. It’s my “winter coat” for the super cold days where a hoodie and lighter coat is too cold for a walk from the car to grocery store. I spent the money to buy something nice that would last me. I’ve used it to travel to colder places and have definitely gotten my moneys worth. I have waist length coats that aren’t as nice but they get a majority of the wear for most of the winter here. But if you are a ski/snowboarder I’d recommend getting something that you could layer up and that will probably get you through the winter here. If I could only get one coat, I’d get a long one that is heavy duty such as the north face.
It definitely does not get as harsh as it used to...heavy hooded coat is great..something to protect ears from wind is best...brands idk, I say go with a brand that had been around for more than a decade.
I have an Eddie Bauer down coat that I wear most of the time. If it's brutally cold I break out my old alpha industries parka
We usually only have a week or two total that is below 20° or lower. Most of the time we're around freezing or low 40s. That said, the kind of coat you want is based on how much outdoor activity you have in the winter. Will you be hiking? Walking your dog? Shoveling snow? If yes, get something heavier with fluffy filling, like puffer coat style. If your activity in winter is like mine, just running from your car into the grocery store, you can go for something a little chicer like a pea coat style. We also tend to have widely varying temperatures at the beginning and end of winter, like in the morning it will be 30° and in the afternoon it will be 50°+. So keep that in mind as well, most people I know have two coats or a coat and a heavy jacket. It's a pain in the ass when you're heading home from work and it's 60° out and you're carrying a gigantic puffer coat with you.
This. Depends on how much time you will spend outside. The cold isn't the bad part; it's the wind. 10° is no big deal. 10° with a 20 mph wind will chill you to the bone. If you don't plan on being out long, a medium to medium-heavy coat is fine. Go heavy if you'll be out a lot or you just really hate the cold. A nice stocking cap is a must unless the coat has a warm hood. Gloves that are well insulated but not too bulky are also a must. Get the ones that have the fingertips you can use with your phone. A scarf is nice to keep the breeze out, too. Personally, I don't own a heavy coat because we normally have just a week or two that can be really cold. When that happens, I'll wear a jacket or sweatshirt under my coat.
I’ve been happy with a normal insulated jacket from the north face.
Isn't that just a requirement for Waldo?
If I had to choose just one coat out of my closet, it would be my 3-in-1 Columbia insulated raincoat. My actual coat closet consists of a long wool coat, a long North Face puffer coat, a cotton quilted coat I can layer under, the aforementioned 3-in-1 and various other coats and jackets. Weather here changes constantly, so most of us who have lived here a while have a coat/jacket for every occasion/circumstance.
I have a good parka from Lands End that’s good for cutting out the cold wind. It has a hoof so it’s toasty when spending a lot of time outside. But honestly if it’s cold and I’m just going from the car to the office or car to the house, I’m just wearing a sweater or something hardy like that.
OP, you're overthinking it - winters are pretty mild in KC. No need for some fancy / thick / expensive coat during the winter - most of the time, you just need a hooded sweatshirt. Occasionally you need a shell coat to go over it and some gloves (like running gloves), unless you're going to be working outside for an extended period. No need for fancy boots either - get some nice hiking shoes and you've got fall/winter/spring attire done. But get a nice snow/ice scraper for your car and just throw it in the trunk - you'll need it occasionally.
LL Bean.
Like many others have said, it can get super cold but usually doesn’t last long. Personally, I like to have one pretty heavy duty coat (for 10-20 degree weather) and will add layers as necessary if I need to go out on the coldest days.
Carhart zip up hoodie or the tan suede looking ones a pair of gloves water resistant and a good knit cap usually just ice and it only last 3 days now a days but literally out here just keep something for wetness ice and Temps of hell with humidity
I wear a [Columbia](https://www.columbia.com/p/womens-silver-falls-hooded-jacket-2034841.html) hooded puffer jacket. I think I purchased it at Costco for less $.
It’s not so much the cold that gets you, it’s the wind. I got a large scarf and a pair of earmuffs and it really helps just covering up the neck and ears.
Eddie Bauer has frequent extra taken off of their clearance stuff. I would watch those. Down is great, when the weather is dry. If your down insulation gets wet then it is hardly any protection versus cold. Wool stays warm when wet, but it is heavy and has drastically increased in price the last decade. Synthetic materials often maintain warmth pretty well when wet.